Orange Chicken

🧂 Ingredients

Chicken

• 600g boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
• 4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white or black pepper
• 2–3 tbsp neutral oil (e.g. vegetable or sunflower)

Orange Sauce

• Zest of 1 orange
• Juice of 2 oranges (approx. 150ml)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp ketchup (optional, adds colour and umami)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional)
• ½–1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
• 1½ tsp cornflour + 2 tbsp cold water (slurry)

Garnish (optional)

• Sliced spring onion
• Sesame seeds
• Extra chilli flakes for heat

🧑‍🍳 Method

1. Prep Chicken

   • In a bowl, combine chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and cornflour.
   • Toss until evenly coated. Let sit for 5–10 minutes while prepping the sauce.

2. Mix Sauce

   • In a jug or small bowl, combine:
     • Orange juice and zest
     • Soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, ketchup
     • (Optional) Garlic and ginger
     • Chilli flakes
   • In a separate cup, mix cornflour with cold water to make a slurry.

3. Cook Chicken

   • Heat oil in a large non-stick pan or wok over medium-high heat.
   • Cook chicken in batches, turning until golden and crispy (6–8 minutes total).
   • Set aside on a plate with paper towel.

4. Cook Sauce

   • In the same pan, pour in the orange sauce.
   • Bring to a bubble for 2–3 minutes.
   • Stir in the cornflour slurry and simmer for 1–2 minutes until thickened and glossy.

5. Combine

   • Return the crispy chicken to the pan.
   • Toss to coat thoroughly in the sauce.
   • Cook for 1–2 more minutes to heat through.

6. Serve

   • Spoon over steamed rice.
   • Garnish with spring onions, sesame seeds, and extra chilli flakes if desired.

🍞 Optional Sides

• Steamed broccoli or pak choi
• Stir-fried veggies with sesame oil

✅ Tips

• For extra crispiness, double-fry the chicken.
• Swap orange juice with fresh clementine juice for a sweeter finish.
• Sauce too thick? Add a splash of water or orange juice.

Tags: easy, dinner